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Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday. With all the sales going on I’m sure many of you are out snatching up great deals, but for those just lounging around today here’s a DIY project for you to get your hands on! The original plan was to make an end table for a bedroom but halfway through my husband wanted to make it multifunctional. So we put a door on it which allows our 10 pound dog Ellie to curl up in and snooze. You can design your table any way you want but here’s how we did ours…

Before:

Step One: Obtain

The wood we used for our end table were scrap pieces leftover from previous projects. The sides of the table are 1×3’s that were recycled from an old pallet, and the front and back of the table are 1×6’s from an old barn door. The legs that support the table are 2×4’s that we had just lying around. The purpose of this project is to use odd and end pieces of wood, so don’t worry too much on what the wood looks like.

Step Two:Cut

Now that you have the wood you need to cut it down to size. Using a circular saw, Ryan cut the scrap pieces of wood all down to the same length. If you want to make the exact table you see below cut the 1×3’s and 1×6’s down to 17 inches. You will need 12 1×3’s, 9 1×6’s and 4 2×4’s. Then take 3 of the 1×6’s and cut them down to 14 1/2 inches to use as a door. To make the legs cut the 2×4’s to 24 inches.

Step Three:Sand

Using 80 grit sandpaper sand down every piece of wood to create a smooth finish. Remember to always sand with the grain of the wood. After sanding clean the wood off by using an air compressor or wet towel.

Step Four:Assemble

To assemble the sides:

You will be using all of the 2×4’s and 10 of the 1×3’s. Lay out 2 2×4’s parallel to each other. Take a 1×3 and screw it in flush with the tops of each 2×4 as this will be the top of your table. Ryan used a 2×2 piece of wood as a template to evenly space out the 1×3’s. Take the template piece of wood and place it next to the 1×3 you already have screwed in. Take another 1×3 and place it right next to the template piece and screw it in. Repeat this process for the other 2 2×4 legs and 8 remaining 1×3’s.

To assemble the back:

You will need 3 1×6’s. Screw a 1×6 flush with the top and bottom of each side. Take the last 1×6 and place it in the middle of the two previously screwed 1×6’s to create even spacing.

To assemble the top:

You will need 3 1×6’s. Lay them out side by side on top of the legs and screw them into place.

To assemble the door:

Take the 3 1×6 boards cut specifically for the door and line them up width wise. Take the last 2 1×3’s and place them evenly spaced apart onto the back of the door length wise. Screw them into place making sure you don’t screw all the way through to the front. Now you should have a sturdy door to attach hinges to. Screw the hinges on the door first and then to the leg of the table.

Step Five: Seal

Now that the end table is put together before you can take it inside to use you must first seal it with a coat of polyurethane. You can grab a can from your local hardware store and apply it with a paint brush, or you can get the spray on kind and apply it like spray paint. Just follow the directions on the back of the can. Allow the table to completely dry before displaying it in your house!